


Unlikely

by lumifuer



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Choking, Death, F/M, Force Choking, Hurt/Comfort, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, Violence, past and present abuse, reader has a secret, wink wink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-07 18:56:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13441146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumifuer/pseuds/lumifuer
Summary: As you rise through the ranks of The First Order you find yourself drawn to a certain ginger general. But when your deepest secrets see the light of the day in the process will it be your new beginning or a bitter end?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go! I must admit, I wasn’t a huge Hux enthusiast before TLJ and I’ve only become his admirer after learning about his past. As I said, I’d like to turn it into a mini-series so I’d really appreciate your feedback on this chapter!

“General,” you inquired.

As if on command, Hux had stopped in his tracks which must have confused him even more than it surprised you but something about your seemingly soft voice became demanding.

“What is it, (y/n)?” he asked, glancing at you briefly.

You of all the people should have been perfectly aware how much he desired for this meeting with the newly appointed Supreme Leader to be over already but considering the matters that have been troubling you for months, being so close to the mighty Kylo Ren was at the bottom of your wish list.

“Are you convinced that my presence is required?” you asked trying your best to shove the shadow of dread creeping into the corner of your mind to the side. Being his personal assistant sure had its perks but up until that point, you hadn’t been met with the bitter side of your position yet.

You had your ways of ensuring that Ren doesn’t find out about your deepest secrets, shielding them with a wall of other thoughts piling on each other. But you also felt the disastrous weight of the risk hanging just above your head and threatening to come crushing at you for weeks. It masked itself as a form of distraction, wrapped in a body of a ginger general standing right in front of you with his brows furrowed in a visible concern.

He looked around to check if you were truly alone in the corridor and then took a few steps towards you, gently grabbing your chin and tilting your head.

“Look at me, (y/n),” he asked, abandoning his professional tone in favour of the one he had reserved for you only. “If it wasn’t required, the thought of bringing you to the throne room of this unstable child wouldn’t have crossed my mind.”

Despite Hux’s best intentions, his words hadn’t provided you with a much-desired relief. On the contrary, they have planted a seed of fear and the sense of upcoming doom much greater than your lover could’ve anticipated.

But it was your concern, not his and you wished for it to remain that way.

“I know that Ren can be very unpleasant at times,” he continued with a faint smile. “But he won’t do as much as lay his finger on you, I will personally see to it. You have my word.”

Your gaze involuntarily dropped to his bruised neck, partially hidden behind the collar of his greatcoat. Purple welts were scattered across the column of his throat, contrasting with his ghostly skin. Those were the same ones that you have tended to so many times before, the deed itself was what had brought you two so close. But the first time was still the most vivid in your thoughts. You stumbled into the general while he was on his way back to the chambers, the overwhelming feeling of shame and humiliation had clouded his perception and he barely noticed you. Instead of looking sharp and intimidating as ever, he was a mere shadow of himself with his hair dishevelled, the fresh marks forming on his throat as if someone’s hands left it just seconds ago. His lower lip was split and a thin trickle of scarlet liquid was staining his pale skin.

Seeing the fearsome general of the First Order in such state broke something inside of you and before you were given the chance to suppress the idea, you had him sat on his bed while your hands were busy trying to patch up the outcome of meeting with the furious Supreme Leader without inflicting more pain on him.

Little had you known, it was a night of a revelation for him as well. Your gentle yet firm caress diverged from the touch he’s been accustomed to since the days of his childhood thanks to his father’s teaching. Your silent and pure concern fueled your efforts and he believed you didn’t expect anything in return for this act of goodwill.  
Soon enough, he found himself drowning in your presence but instead of desperately grasping for air, instead, he gladly allowed you to claim his soul, taking the pain away. You continued to amaze him by not using this vulnerability to your advantage and he couldn’t help but fall for you in the following days.

“That’s not my biggest concern, gen–” the persisting yet amused look in his green eyes reminded you of the small arrangement you made some time ago. “Tidge.”

He smiled at the sound of the nickname you’d given him. He might have hated his first name but it seemed that your impact, even the slightest, was able to enhance everything. “That’s better, my love.”

“It’s not my own safety I’m worried about. I don’t think I’d be able to watch you get hurt again.”

And that much was true even if the reasoning behind it was a bit different to the one you’d lead on. You cared for Hux despite everything that you stood for and believed in but you also didn’t want your secrets to see the light of the day because you wouldn’t be able to keep your shields seeing the person that grew on you so much getting in harm’s way.

Your words rendered him speechless. After all those months of letting you take up more and more space in both his mind and soul, he was still struggling to believe you could care for him like he did for you.

“My dearest,” he spoke in a hushed voice. He dragged his thumb across your cheek and you instinctively leaned into his touch. “You don’t need to concern yourself with my safety. I’ll feel stronger knowing that you’re by my side.”

His smile grew wider as if he was only realising that now. You sighed and tried to collect your thoughts, preparing for the worst. Then you gave him a brief nod and hesitantly pulled away from his touch.

“Shall we?” he put his mask back on and you followed him into the throne room.


	2. Chapter 2

The ride in the elevator was a silent one, the air tense with anticipation and subtle hints of anxiety that you could easily pick up in both yourself and Armitage.

As you were carefully building up your defences, the general once again tore his down in order to ask one more thing of you, his voice worn but still kind. “Whatever happens, my dear, I request you do not intertwine. I’m afraid it would only make the matters worse.”

He turned his head to steal a brief glance at you and you offered him a weak but reassuring smile. “I will try my best, general.”

He calculated the time he’s got left before the door slides open and quickly took your hand, pulling it gently to his lips to place a soft kiss on your skin. His grip lingered and you were forced to pull away because the next floor went past already, delivering you dangerously close to the throne room level. A barely noticeable sign of longing and concern surfaced on his face before it was transformed back into his usual mask. You sighed, dropping your gaze to the floor stung by this all too familiar ache in your chest.

You could no longer see his face but you knew that his spread legs and hands folded on the back were his only means to hide a light shiver going down his spine with every passing level. It made you realise just how hard this conversation might turn out to be.

And you had a bad feeling about this.

The sound of the loud ding shot through the air, letting you know it was your stop. Armitage straightened up, preparing to keep his chin up and you took a long breath to rid yourself of the remaining doubts. Your secrets were kept under a heavy layer of fear that was only partially fabricated by you consciously, and another consisting of your admiration towards the ginger general.

It was hard to remember that when you first met him the boiling hatred aimed at him was almost too apparent to contain and after the handshake you shared you battled with the urge to wash your hands immediately.

The door slid open revealing a huge throne room you’ve heard so much about. You looked around in awe, seeing it properly for the very first time. Needless to say, it wasn’t a particularly pleasant astonishment one might feel while looking at a work of art. This place was crushing your bones under its weight. The ominous red-lit space was almost empty, echoes of your steps bounced off the walls, creating a dream-like scenery. You felt tiny and insignificant but gravest of all - ambushed.

The throne itself was situated in the middle, placed on a small platform as if the surroundings weren’t enough to make sure everyone knew who was in command. The chair was dark with subtle traces of silver and you could swear you saw old blood still staining its feet as if Rey had just sliced Snoke in half moments ago. His guards who had shared their master’s fate were replaced by the Knights of Ren, clothed in dark robes and rare pieces of armour wielding weapons ranging from spears to blasters alike. You noted that not an inch of their skin was visible therefore making it harder to perceive them as humans, a blatant advantage in combat.

On the throne sat Kylo Ren, the mighty Supreme Leader, the self-appointed successor of Snoke’s abhorrent legacy. But in fact, he looked anything but powerful on the chair. His arms were resting on his knees rather than the armrests and he was slightly bending forward as if the thought of his back touching the same place Snoke’s had was unthinkable. His face was almost expressionless, his hair falling freely on his dark eyes. The scar left by Rey’s lightsaber was in a strong contrast to his pale complexion. He was like a child sitting in father’s seat trying to grow to be like his role model but something was bound to be awry.

Armitage stopped abruptly, keeping a distance between him and his superior. Everyone knew it wouldn’t protect him if Ren decided to add a few new bruises to the collection but you allowed him to keep up appearances.

“I heard about the base, general,” Ren begun, threat and displeasure clear in his voice. “Are you still going to try to convince me your pathetic troops are worth anything?”

“Supreme Leader, I assure you–”

“You,” Ren pointed at you. You stiffed, feeling the heat sweeping over your body. Kylo’s eyes were dark and impenetrable and you were sure you have just been discovered. “I want you to take notes of everything happening here today. I don’t trust the droids.”

He wanted to turn his head away from you but something else caught his attention. His gaze lingered and it took everything you had to withstand his mental attacks. Hux turned back to look at you, his expression filled with terror, and his fists clenched. He hated the very idea of Ren recognizing your presence as if the fact alone could put you in trouble.

Apparently, Ren failed at finding something interesting because his attention was once again focused on the general in front of him but still the twitch that was supposed to hide a smile didn’t escape your attention. The green eyes were still fixed on you in a frantic attempt to search for any signs of discomfort or pain. You knew he wouldn’t have been able to act upon his fantasy of overthrowing Kylo but witnessing you being tortured by his abilities could have still made him try.

“General, can I get your attention?” Kylo mocked.

Armitage’s lips opened and you noticed a tremble dancing on their soft surface but soon enough he faced his leader without the shadow of fear.

“Supreme Leader,” he began again. “The troops are in a flawless condition and I assure you that their next mission will prove to be a victory.”

Ren scoffed and you heard a grave tone in his voice. “I don’t care about your poor excuses and declarations anymore, general.”

“I do not wish to–”

But he was cut off mid-sentence. Soon his hands were desperately pulling at the invisible hand locking on his windpipe as if it intended to crush it. A sob tore from his throat and it hurt you more than you’d be pleased to admit. Hux was lifted off his feet which were now dangling in the air, searching for a spot to rest his weight on but with no success. You turned your head in distaste, adding another layer on the most precious thoughts buried deep within your mind. The room was quiet and the complete silence was interrupted only by Armitage’s heartbreaking efforts to break free.

When yet another raspy sob tore out of Tidge’s throat you closed your eyes only to regret it a second later. Without your vision, your mind replaced your surroundings with a mental image as if enhancing the strongest individuals in the room. You could sense Ren’s energy and unrelenting passion, his guards’ confidence and eagerness to fight if required, and you could even taste your own panic. And what’s worst of all, Hux’s spirit slipping through the fingers of the unseen hand.

You stole a brief glance at Kylo even though you knew you weren’t supposed to. He wasn’t driven by hatred or fury and his annoyance was kept under check, and yet he wasn’t stopping himself, sending the general at the edge of consciousness and risking tossing him into the sharp claws of death. He had so many opportunities to finish his existence but for some reason, he was keen on keeping Hux alive until now. What changed? And what’s more important - what were you going to do about it?

You wouldn’t dare to look directly at Armitage who was all too quickly fading into the void. Besides, you didn’t need to see to know how hopeless he was. Once again, you shut your eyes and tried to lock those feelings away, telling yourself that it was for the best and that there was a greater cause bigger than the both of you. But it took one mere memory of Hux’s soft smile that he allowed himself to show during one of the few particularly bad nights to break you down.

Before you could further question your actions, the general fell to the floor with a loud thud. A slimmer, delicate hand seemed to have slipped under the grim hold locked on his throat and set him free. Armitage was a panting mess, kneeling on the floor constantly shifting between losing and regaining consciousness. The bloody marks left by his own fingernails were blooming with scarlet against his pallid skin. He was barely aware of the situation but he did feel it. The familiar touch that had tended to his wounds has now saved his life. His mind was still throbbing and he couldn’t connect the pieces of information but deep in his heart he already understood everything.

And so did Ren.

“I was beginning to think you’d have me kill your beloved general,” he spoke, folding his arms on his back. “Thank you for saving us a rather embarrassing show.”

There was no point in playing your part anymore. You looked up at him, making sure that your face was showing no signs of fear in your time of dying. Because he was going to kill you, wasn’t he?

For how long did he know, you wondered. Was it before the meeting or did you betray your true purpose upon arriving here? Did it even matter?

“I should kill you with the cruellest strike, you know that, don’t you?” he said with a slight smile sending a shiver down your spine. His master was dead but apparently, his teaching was meant to live on for now. “But I think it would be a waste.”

Gracefully and with no sign of the previous brutality, he outstretched his hand and lifted you up off the floor. Your whole body tensed preparing for the torture to come but it never did. Kylo was looking at you with a spark of curiosity in his gaze. He didn’t take you for a threat and you knew that it could be his undoing but for know, he had the upper hand. “I think your heart, unlike someone else’s, can be turned.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” you scoffed, your stubbornness originating in pure hatred.

“So you’ve already taken the side, then?” he asked.

But you weren’t given a chance to reply. The shuffling could be heard from the centre of the room and you focused all your strength to turn your head and determine its source. You saw Armitage, crawling to where you were being held, struggling to hide his pained expression. It didn’t take long for Kylo to notice as well and with an almost bored wave of his hand, your lover was tossed on the wall, the impact rendering him unconscious. Your rage was about to break through but you knew better than that. You concentrated on the brute force trying to sneak into your mind, almost grasping at your most hidden thoughts. You wouldn’t let him have it, there was too much at stake and you didn’t have the privilege to give in.

His attacks ceased and his lips parted in pure amazement. “Very well, then,” your body was suddenly dropped to the ground. “I’ll see you tomorrow during our very first training session. We’ll see if you remain loyal to the defeated then.”

He left the room without a word leaving you and Armitage in the company of his guards. You weren’t sure what to do next. You had anticipated it could go bad but not nearly as tragic. Ren knew everything and yet you were allowed to live.

You crawled over to Tidge’s limp body, hoping to find comfort in his presence. It was foolish of you to assume he’d still be by your side after all your lies but as soon as you touched his shoulder, his green eyes opened, filled with concern and bewildered. “Did he hurt you?”  
were the first words he spoke and you were about to burst into laughter at the irony.

“You’re the one who barely survived the conversation,” you reminded him. He tried to sit up and managed to do so only with your aid. You helped him get to the elevator and the guards weren’t interested in stopping you at least for now.

“Would you kindly explain this to me?” Tidge asked once you left the elevator and headed towards his quarters. You tried to search his voice for signs of hostility but failed.

“Gladly,” the word was spoken with an utter belief and it surprised you but it was the truth. After months filled with lies and hiding, you were almost happy to share a bit of truth with your unlikely lover. Or at the very least, the least harmful parts of it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I would love to hear your thoughts on the story so don’t be afraid to leave some comments! ♥

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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